DESIGN THINKING AND INNOVATION: A HOW-TO GUIDE

Design thinking – especially as relates to the field of technology, consumer electronics, and online cloud computing – has been a popular approach to problem-solving and innovation for a number of years now. Its human-centric approach to solving complex problems has been embraced by businesses and organizations of all sizes around the world. As we look to the future, it is clear that design thinking will continue to play an important role in influence tomorrow’s marketplace, and tomorrow’s world.

Looking ahead, it’s clear (at least to us here at FPS) that future of design thinking has to involve the incorporation of greater connectivity and the increased use of technology. With advances in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and other digital technologies, designers will have access to new tools and capabilities that can help them to solve problems more effectively. For example, automation and related machine learning platforms can be utilized to analyze data and identify patterns that can inform their design decisions.

You’ll also see more innovative thinking applied across different areas of business and society. In effect, design thinking has traditionally been associated with product design and innovation, but its principles and methods can be applied to many other areas, such as service design, public policy, and education. As this technique becomes more widely recognized as a valuable approach to problem-solving, more companies will adopt it and it will be applied to a wider range of challenges.

The rise of the circular economy is also likely to have an impact here. The circular economy is an economic model that aims to minimize waste and maximize the use of resources by keeping products and materials in use for as long as possible. This is just one of many areas where design thinking can play an important role by helping to create products and systems that are more sustainable and efficient. For instance, engineers may need to consider how a product can be disassembled and its components reused or recycled at the end of its life.

The future of design thinking is also sure to revolve around a greater emphasis on collaboration and co-creation. Technically, you could argue that it’s always involved something of a collaborative process, but in the future, more product managers and software engineers and other pros will be working with diverse groups of stakeholders to co-create solutions to complex problems. This could involve working with customers, suppliers, community groups, and other stakeholders to design products and services that meet their needs and aspirations.

And let’s not forget (!!) the greater emphasis you’ll surely be seeing on ethics and social responsibility in years to come. As teams work to create novel solutions to complex problems, they will need to consider the potential social, economic, and environmental impacts of their designs. This could involve grappling with difficult questions around issues such as data privacy, social justice, and environmental sustainability. Designers will need to be equipped with the skills and knowledge to navigate these complex ethical issues and ensure that their designs are aligned with their values and principles.